Yemen: Continued violence and insecurity cause new displacement in the South

Fighting continues in Abyan Governorate and has resulted in approximately 91,000 displaced people in southern Yemen. Displaced people are mainly scattered across Aden, Lahj, and Abyan, staying in schools or living with host families.

The volatile security situation in these areas continues to hamper aid delivery, while rising fuel and food prices are aggravating humanitarian needs as well as significantly increasing supply costs for aid delivery.

Many services, particularly health services, have been discontinued or severely interrupted due to power outages and lack of fuel; only two government hospitals are operational in Abyan. Health organizations are delivering essential medicines and supplies to medical facilities in the area, and six ambulances were dispatched from Aden to evacuate injured people in Zinjibar.

Other support provided by humanitarian organizations to IDPs includes a measles and vitamin A supplementation campaign which has reached 62% of children under five. A fully equipped re-hydration centre in Gamohari Hospital will open next week.

A rapid nutrition assessment of IDPs was completed in Lahj and Aden, which found that the global acute malnutrition (GAM) rate among children under two is high, indicating poor breastfeeding and inadequate complementary feeding. Agencies are concerned that the rising food prices, increased transport costs, poor sanitation and hygiene conditionsmight contribute to even worse malnutrition rates.

Schools are scheduled to re-open in September after Ramadan, which will put further pressure on host families in Aden. It is also unlikely that most IDPs will be able to return home in the near future, which makes long-term shelter a key concern.